


Your Spirit and Mine: Critical Role shipping challenge

by Indigo_warlock



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Being Lost, Bondage, Boys In Love, Boys Kissing, Captivity, Character Death, Cheating, Comfort, Crying, Dating, Death from Old Age, Drama, Drama & Romance, Druids, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotions, Established Relationship, F/F, F/M, Falling In Love, Fear of Flying, Feels, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Flying, Friendship, Friendzone, Gay, Gen, Gift Giving, Glasses, Gnomes, Healing, Healthy Relationships, Hugs, Humor, Hurt, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Implied/Referenced Torture, Injury, Injury Recovery, Kissing, Knives, Lesbian Character, Limericks, Love, Love Poems, M/M, Magic, Male-Female Friendship, Married Couple, Mind Games, Monogamy, Non-Canon Relationship, Old Age, One Night Stands, One-Sided Attraction, One-Sided Relationship, Other, Pet Names, Poetry, Post-Battle, Post-Canon, Rare Pairings, Recovery, Religion, Romance, Rope Bondage, Sad Ending, Shipping, Slow Burn, Spoilers, Stockholm Syndrome, Tieflings, Unconsciousness
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-19
Updated: 2020-08-07
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:42:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 14
Words: 8,146
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22796497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Indigo_warlock/pseuds/Indigo_warlock
Summary: "It was the two of them against the world, and they would fight for each other always."Alternatively: This is a collection of my single chapter works involving different Critical Role ships, mostly campaign 1 for now. Everything will be updated, including chapters, rating, and tags. As for the content of the chapters, I take requests :)
Relationships: Anna Ripley/Sylas Briarwood, Grog Strongjaw/Pike Trickfoot, Keyleth/Grog Strongjaw, Keyleth/Scanlan Shorthalt, Keyleth/Vex'ahlia (Critical Role), Kima/Grog Strongjaw, Lillith Anioska Daturai/Percival "Percy" Fredrickstein Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III, Percival "Percy" Fredrickstein Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III/Anna Ripley, Percival "Percy" Fredrickstein Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III/Grog Strongjaw, Percival "Percy" Fredrickstein Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III/Pike Trickfoot, Percival "Percy" Fredrickstein Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III/Vax'ildan, Percival "Percy" Fredrickstein Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III/Vex'ahlia, Raven Queen (Dungeons & Dragons) & Vax'ildan (Critical Role), Scanlan Shorthalt/Pike Trickfoot, Scanlan Shorthalt/Vax'ildan
Kudos: 41





	1. Percy/Lillith: Comfort Hugs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Percy needs comforting after the encounter with the Briarwoods.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a serious lack of fanfiction for this pairing. I thought I would help to fix that. Also, spoilers for the Briarwood arc.

Visions of the day's events flashed through Percy's mind.  _ The Briarwoods arriving. Vax, motionless on the ground. The Broker's crooked smile towards the tiefling. The carriage driver with a bloody stump where his hand once was.  _ He couldn't shake the images from his head. Throwing himself into his work, he tinkered in his workshop until his hands blistered and burned. He focused on his tools. He worked, cold and efficient, late into the night. Afterwards he stood alone, Diplomacy on one hand and Pepperbox in the other. The List taunted him, the carved names of Sylas and Delilah gleaming in the moonlight.

A quiet knock sounded on his door. He aimed his gun at it, tense and ready for anything.

"Percy? Can I come in?" Lillith asked from the other side of the door, her accent giving away her identity.

Hands shaking, Percy lowered the gun. He walked to the door and opened it. The hinges creaked softly as it shut behind the tiefling girl.

Lillith closed the distance between them slowly. "How are you?" She asked the question gently, looking him in the eye.

Percy let out a bitter laugh. "How do you think?" He tossed the gun to the side and ripped Diplomacy off his hand. "I let the Briarwoods escape. My friends nearly died. My people will suffer because of me." He sighed. "I'm a pathetic excuse for a person."

"That's not true." She took his hand. "You saved me from the Broker. You protected me. I am so grateful to you."

Percy paused before saying his next words. "Do not express gratitude towards a monster."

"You are no monster. The true monsters are those that plague your mind." Lillith laid her other hand on his cheek, keeping him from turning away. 

Percy sobbed. Emotions overwhelmed him. Feeling he had once suppressed rushed back into his heart and he let them out in ugly bursts of tears. He cried into Lillith's shoulder, gripping her arms as if they alone could pull him together. His whole body quivered. His head hurt, and for a moment all sense abandoned him, leaving him incapable of any rational thought. Lillith's warm body enveloped him. He didn't move.

"It's alright. I'm here." She stroked his hair and wrapped him in a hug. She held him there for an eternity until his sobs gave way to breathless gasps, and then, finally, quiet.

"Thank you." His voice cracked as he whispered. "Thank you, Lillith."

When he awoke the next morning, he found Lillith replaced by a note on his pillow with simple yet elegant handwriting.

_ Dearest Percival, you are much more than your demons. Have faith in yourself and in your friends, as it will guide you onward. I know in my heart that you will avenge your family. Stay true, and never forget to forgive yourself, as I will never forget your kindness. - Lillith _

Percy stared at the note for a long, long time. 

Then, slowly, he picked up his gun from the floor, new fire burning in his eyes.


	2. Grog/Keyleth: Getting Lost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grog gets lost and a pretty kitty finds him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't really ship this one, but I had this idea and I thought it would be fun to write.

Grog liked combat. He liked the fighting, the sprays of blood and the rough feel of the weapon in his hand. Sometimes his battle rage grew so strong that he couldn't keep it contained. On those days, he left the rest of the party behind in search of the nearest monster he could pick a fight with. The others understood (at least, Grog thought they did).

The incident happened on one of those days.

Combat was Grog's strength. When he fought, everything else faded into the background. He didn't have to worry about his ever-present inability to read, of the fact that his beard only existed because of a magic belt. All he had to do was kill the enemy before the enemy killed him. Combat was simple, and Grog was a simple man.

Grog killed the entire horde of goblins in the woods. The fight had quelled his thirst for blood, and he wandered between the trees, looking for the path back home.

He didn't find it.

Grog felt confused, and the confusion made Grog angry. He abandoned his search for the path temporarily to find a bad guy to hit. Upon remembering that he had already cleared the woods of the goblins, he didn't know what to do. Grog plopped down in the middle of the forest floor. He looked up at the darkening sky. The others would get worried and look for him soon. Grog didn't want his friends to worry. He fought to protect them and their peace of mind. He sat there, completely and utterly lost, a little disappointed in himself and his incompetence.

Grog didn't know how long he had sat there by the time when he saw the kitty. The large silver cat crept up by his side and nuzzled his arm. Its tail curled part way around the goliath's body, the soft hairs tickling his skin. Letting out a purr, it climbed up Grog's mostly bare chest and sloppily licked his cheek. Grog patted the kitty absentmindedly. The cat jumped off him, ran a few paces forward and meowed.

"Where are you going, kitty?"

_ Meow. _

The cat walked away and Grog followed. It lead him through the forest, between trees and around rocks larger than Grog himself. He stumbled through the bushes and undergrowth, and did his best not to trip and fall. When he struggled, the cat waited for him patiently, licking the dirt from its paws.

A sunbeam broke through the trees. Light surrounded them as they passed through the treeline and out of the wilderness. The cat hopped over Grog's feet, and transformed in a flash of magic.

"Keyleth!" Grog tackled her in a hug. "I knew it was you the whole time! I'm a smart, special boy!"

"Yes you are, Grog." The druid gasped. "Now please...let go...you're crushing me!"

"Sorry." Grog let go and stepped back. "You're just so cute and squishy."

"My Minxie form can be adorable at times." She admitted, blushing.

"All your forms are adorable."

Keyleth rolled her eyes. "Thank you."

"You found me when I got lost. You're so smart." Grog beamed and patted her head.

"Only when it counts." Keyleth blushed harder. "Let's go back to the keep. Word has it Pike came in for a visit!"

"PIKE!" Without a second thought, Grog dashed off in (what he thought was) the direction of the keep, bellowing his gnome friend's name at the top of his lungs.

Keyleth giggled. Grog might not be the brightest in terms of intelligence, but he never failed to brighten her day, and that was all that mattered in the end.


	3. Percy/Vax: Unconscious

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Percy stays with Vax after he falls unconscious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've always felt awkward writing m/m since I'm straight. I don't want the characters to seem like gay stereotypes, so I try to avoid writing m/m as much as possible. This paring, though...I needed it.

"Pike said she stabilized you and you'll wake soon enough." Percy muttered to the unconscious man on the makeshift hospital bed. His rasping voice cut through the quiet air. "I believe her. Still, it's only natural for me to worry."

Vax breathed in and out, his chest rising and falling slowly as he lay still. He looked so peaceful, his wounds hidden beneath blankets and bandages. He rested, completely unaware of his surroundings, unaware of how Percy felt watching him barely cling to life.

"I brought something for you. I made it in my workshop a few days before this happened." Percy fiddled with the hilt of the dagger in his hands, then ran a finger along the edge of the sheathed blade. "I don't often make daggers, but for you, I thought I could try. I hope you like it." Percy placed the weapon in Vax's belt, alongside his others. Breath caught in his throat as he saw dried splatters of blood on the hilt of the Keen Dagger.  _ Vax's blood.  _ He knew because when he had found Vax the day before, the man laid in a pool of his own blood, a spear sticking out of his chest.

The ambush had taken Vox Machina by surprise. They had thought they were safe in their camp, guarded by all sorts of defensive spells. They had thought wrong.

Percy rested a hand on top of Vax's, warming the man's cold skin. "I love you, Vax. We all do. So wake up, would you? For us? For me?" He held his breath, waiting.

Vax's form shifted slightly, but he did not awaken.

"Forgive me." Percy sighed. "Forgive me for allowing this to happen to you. I should have protected you sooner. I'm sorry." He chuckled to himself sadly. "I can't believe I'm talking to you like this. It shouldn't be like this. You should be awake and well, standing beside me and teasing me about all those things we both love and hate about myself." Percy's voice dropped to a whisper. "There's so much I have left to tell you, so much we have left to do. I'll tell you everything when you wake up. I promise."

Percy wondered if it was real, or just his imagination, that Vax's unconscious body had smiled.


	4. Grog/Kima: Friend Zone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kima's in an awkward situation...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this ship is kind of one sided, but I tried to work with what the canon gave me.

"That was a fun fight." Grog grunted to himself as he staggered backward, still reeling from the blow. The monster came out of nowhere, catching him off guard, and he paid the price for it. He had just finished a nice, relaxing walk through the woods outside of Vasselheim (at Pike's suggestion) when it attacked. To Grog, it had been more of an annoyance than a threat. Standing there, victorious, Grog didn't care.  _ The thing should have known better than to mess with a goliath,  _ he thought to himself, grinning despite his wounds.

"Idiot!" Kima rushed to his side. Laying hands on his side, she concentrated her magic on his wounds. One by one, the multiple lacerations diminished in size and then disappeared entirely.

Grog didn't understand magic, but Kima's hands made him feel good. He liked that. His battle rage faded.

"You gotta take care of yourself." Kima grunted. "Babysitting you is such a pain."

"I took care of that monster real good, yeah?" The goliath gestured to the monster's corpse with a thumb the size of Kima's arm. "I can take care of myself fine."

"Grog…" Kima sighed, too exhausted to explain what she meant. "Just stop getting hurt. For my sake."

"Aww, so you do care!" Grog beamed, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Kima stepped back, fully prepared to bolt if he tried to tackle her in one of his giant, bone-crushing hugs. "Of course I care for you. You are a dear friend to me."

"I like being friends."

"As do I."

"But what about, like...being  _ more  _ than friends?" Grog patted the tiny woman on the head as gently as he could.

Kima wasn't blind. She had seen his advances and chosen to ignore them, reluctant to hurt him with rejection. She sighed sadly, knowing that now there wasn't a way to keep up the ruse. Looking into his eyes, she spoke slowly. "Grog."

"Yeah?"

"You know how there are all kinds of people, like goliaths, halflings, and elves?"

Grog nodded.

"They're all people with feelings, but they have their differences. Some like things others don't."

"Uh...how I like punching things and other people don't?"

Kima ignored that. "One of those differences is who they like romantically. Some like girls, some like boys, and a few people like both."

Grog's face twisted into a puzzled expression. "But I only like girls."

"I only like girls too." Kima said it bluntly so he could understand. "And that's why we can't get together. But you are strong and brave, and you will always be my friend." She held her breath nervously.

"Oh. That's nice."

"That's...nice?"

"Yeah. I like being friends, even if I can't kiss you. And, uh, you're also very strong."

Kima chuckled. "Maybe we could meet up sometime? Talk about girls?"

"Sounds awesome!" Grog beamed. "Same place tomorrow?"

"Sure." Kima patted his arm. "I'll see you soon. And, Grog?"

"What?"

"Stay alive." With a wink, she turned and walked away.


	5. Grog/Pike: Quick Recovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pike helps Grog to heal after a fight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to write something short and sweet for these two, so here it is!

"You need to be more careful." Pike scolded softly. She threaded the needle in preparation for her work. "You can't keep rushing off like that. It's dangerous."

"Danger's my middle name!" Grog boasted, completely ignoring the obvious injury to his arm.

Pike frowned. "Grog, you don't have a middle name."

"Oh." The goliath sighed, his shoulders slumped against the tree behind him. "The others are safe settin' up camp, yeah?"

"Yes." Pike stitched up Grog's wound and he grunted in response. "I'm glad that you want to protect us, but you need to look after yourself."

"I'm fine." Grog mumbled, wincing.

"Also, you're a terrible liar." Pike remarked. "Be careful over the next few days or the wound will reopen."

"I just wanted to help."

"I know, but there are more ways to help that don't require running into a trap."

Grog let out a dejected sigh. "Sorry I'm so dumb."

"Look at me." Pike laid a hand on his knee, as her height made reaching his shoulder impossible. "Who called you dumb?"

"I did."

"Before that."

And then Pike remembered. Their romantic relationship had started off rough, an odd contrast to their friendship. She fought frequently with Grog. She had lectured him about his drinking addiction and he had responded by drinking more frequently. Before they patched up their relationship, they hassled each other to no end, saying words they never meant that never failed to sting.

"...I did." Pike murmured, hit by a pang of regret. "I called you dumb and stupid...gods, Grog, I didn't mean it!" 

Grog perked up a little. "You didn't?" 

"I didn't. In fact, I'm the dumb one because I called you that." Pike laughed. "Cheer up! You know I love you!"

"Love you." Grog squeezed her tightly in a hug, and Pike hugged him back, happy to know that he understood.


	6. Percy/Ripley: Pet Names

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ripley plays games with Percy while he is in her captivity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is weird. I have no clue why I wrote it to begin with

Blood spattered across the bars of his cell. Percy himself watched his lifeblood drain from him, day after day, seemingly without end. Ripley enjoyed the torture, experimenting with new methods every day. Percy leaned back against the wall as one of her lackeys poured healing magic into him, making his body whole again just so Ripley could break it once more. He breathed deeply, relishing the peace that came in those few precious moments before the cycle of pain returned to him. He replayed the images in his mind: his family's bodies, mangled and mutilated, spread around the castle and hung as a sickening display. The Briarwoods showed no mercy to them, and oh, how Percy wished he could return the favor.

However, Anna Ripley had no blood relation to the Briarwoods. She only worked for them, taking advantage of an opportunity given to her. In that sense, Percy respected her. They were so alike. He loved her clever mind and resourceful thinking, and perhaps in another world they could have been friends. Percy did not hate Ripley. He refused to give her that satisfaction. Each time she stabbed him, every time she cut open his body he understood. She saw him as her toy: her perfect living experiment, delivered straight to her doorstep. To her, their situation was a game: how long would it take to break the last de Rolo? He hurled strings of insults at her, he spat blood in her eyes, but never once did he admit to hating her.

That made it no easier to endure the torture he knew would come in the near future.

"I'm quite bored today, Percy." Ripley walked toward him slowly, her eyes cat-like and shining in the torchlight. "I would like to play a game with you. Entertain me."

Percy did not respond.

"You like to call me names, vulgar ones, like 'bitch' or 'demon.' Today I'll spare you the pain of this cutting into your flesh-" She lifted a rusted metal blade from her rack of tools. "-if you call me by a name I like. Go ahead, de Rolo. I'd like to see you try."

Percy's breath caught in his throat as she raised the weapon. His heart pounded in his chest as he willed himself to back away from her, yet failed to escape the chains binding him. He couldn't give up his pride, his  _ family's  _ pride, and yet the sight of the weapon nearly set him to tears. He didn't hate Ripley. He couldn't hate Ripley because  _ she was like him,  _ and despite his better judgement, he loved her.

"Sweetie." Percy blurted out. "Love. Dear. Darling."

Ripley smirked. "Go on."

Percy held back the bile that rose in his throat as he realized he was  _ begging.  _ "Cutie. Lovely. Gorgeous."

"More!" Her voice took on a more commanding tone as she moved the blade closer to Percy.

"Beauty. Sugar."

"Not good enough." Ripley stroked the dull end of the blade across his skin, sending a shiver up his spine.

"Doll. Sunshine..." Percy thought of every pet name he's heard his parents use, pushing back the memories that rushed through his mind. "Princess." 

Ripley hesitated. "Close…"

He didn't want to say it. He didn't want to because he couldn't give her the control, the satisfaction of playing another one of her games. But he couldn't bear another second under Ripley's blade. "Queen." Percy whispered hoarsely. 

"Well, I do enjoy being treated like royalty." Ripley dropped the weapon and grinned. "Clever boy. You sure know how to please a woman."

"Thank you, Doctor Ripley."

Ripley knelt down to whisper in his ear, her breath hot and sweet against his skin. "I'll be back later for more." With a wink she spun away from him, her skirts flowing around her as she stepped out of the cell and through the door to the Briarwood's chamber.


	7. Pike/Scanlan: Finish My Song

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just more panlan angst for y'all!

Pike prided herself on her ability to heal others. As the cleric of the group, the responsibility fell to her. While the other members of the party fought and dealt damage to others, she would erase the damage done to her friends, curing wounds and mending their bodies back together. No matter how many times they went down, to traps or villains or magic beyond her comprehension, she would lift them back up. She would channel her divine power and call out to her goddess, and through channeling the strength of Sarenrae she would save them. She always saved people. Always.

Then everything changed.

Pike left Vox Machina, Scanlan as her only companion. While the others battled the monsters in the city, the two crept into the darkened areas of the underground. They searched for the monsters' ringleader and, with the guidance of Sarenrae, found and destroyed him. Their mission successful, Pike relaxed as she and her gnome partner wandered back through the area, taking a different passage.

If only she hadn't let down her guard.

"Just you wait until the others hear that you killed a demon! That's so hot, they could burn up in those sacred flames of yours." Scanlan teased as they traveled through the narrow stone hallway.

"Not now, Scanlan," Pike chided gently, "We need to focus on finding them." Her divine form glowed brighter in the darkness of her surroundings.

"C'mon, admit it. That was awesome." He smirked.

"Well-"

"I love you, Pikey." The bard tossed a flirty wink in her direction. His gesture was casual, but she could hear the affection in his voice.

Pike blushed, but didn't give him the satisfaction of letting him see. She walked slightly ahead of him, lost in thought, whispering prayers under her breath. She didn't notice when the walls around her changed from stone to a faded copper color. She didn't notice the broken pipes above her, leaking a sickening orange substance. She only noticed when a piece of the floor seemed to shift beneath her foot, letting out a soft  _ click- _

"Pike!" Scanlan dashed beside her and shoved her back with a surprising amount of strength.

Pike stumbled backward a few paces before regaining her balance. "Scanlan!" She gasped as she saw a wall of translucent stone slam down, separating her from her friend. She pounded her firsts against it, leaving not a single trace of damage against the stone.

"Don't worry, Pike. I'll be okay." Scanlan's confident smile shone across his face, even as the pipes above him began to pour orange fluid down into the room at an alarming rate. 

Pike, now fully aware of the situation, recognized the substance immediately.  _ Acid.  _ She summoned all her strength, all her willpower, but couldn't form a spell. The previous battle had drained her of her energy, leaving her defenseless with no spells or abilities left. Willing herself not to panic, she glanced desperately around the area, but found nothing of use.

"Scanlan, get out of there!" Pike shouted, her usually gentle voice a high-pitched wail of fear. "That's deadly acid, you can't let it touch you!"

Scanlan laughed, a halfhearted chuckle without his usual joy. "I'm sorry, my love."

Pike remembered then, how Scanlan had used all of his clever tricks as she had, how even creating one Dimension Door would be impossible for him now. A cold chill washed over her body, and she ignored the feeling. She couldn't give up, because it was her job to save people. She always saved people, and she would save Scanlan again, just like she always did.

"Please, tell Kaylie-" Scanlan winced, gritting his teeth as the acid bubbled around the lower part of his legs. "Tell Kaylie I love her, and that I'm sorry I couldn't make it home." A quick look up at the pipes showed that the steady stream acid wouldn't stop coming down any time soon.

"No. Stop it. Stop it!" Pike screamed, unwilling to face the truth, unable to admit that her friend's life was forfeit because of her mistake.  _ It's my fault, but it can't be, I have to save him- _

Even as the acid covered him, Scanlan grinned, hiding the pain behind the constant smile on his face. "I saved your life, Pikey, so you better keep living for me, alright?"

"Shut up, Scanlan-" Her voice cracked, and she choked back a sob.

"Finally." Scanlan closed his eyes for a moment, as if imagining something, then opened them slowly. "Just this once, I was brave. I did something right, something I could be proud of."

"You're always brave." Pike whispered. "You're so brave, but you're so  _ stupid!  _ I have better armor than you and I have healing spells and I would have been fine, you idiot!"

"I love you." Scanlan pressed a tiny hand against the wall.

"I love you, too." Pike did the same, wishing she could hold his hand through the wall that pushed them apart. "I'm sorry I didn't say it before. I'm so sorry." Tears streamed down her face, and she made no effort to hide them.

"Don't cry." Scanlan placed his forehead against the wall in an effort to come as close to his love as he could. "Everything will be okay, I promise."

"Liar." Pike sniffled, wiping her eyes with the back of her other hand, then placing it on the wall as well. She couldn't bear to gaze into Scanlan's eyes, to see the agony there that he tried so hard to hide as his body slowly melted.

"Finish my song."

"What?"

"I want you to finish my song. Sing it for the others. Inspire them when I can't." Scanlan spoke with a soft kindness.

"I can't. I can't do this. I can't go on without you." Pike's entire body shuddered as grief wracked her form.

"I'll help you, okay?" He took a shaky breath and began to sing.  _ "When the world is dark and cold, I'm here for you to hold. When you can't hold on for long, I'll help you stay strong." _

Pike recognized the quiet melody as a recent creation of Scanlan's, one that he hadn't yet finished writing the words to and now never would. "I'll finish your song. I promise."

"Thank you." Scanlan forced out the words, then cried out as the acid covered his body. He gritted his teeth and gave her one last look, one of sorrow and compassion and love, before he could hold on no longer and fell back into the bubbling liquid.

"Scanlan!!!" Pike couldn't bear to watch as the remainder of his body melted and dissolved until there was nothing left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I take requests for ships/prompts :)


	8. Scanlan/Keyleth: Ages

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They left her, one by one. And Keyleth can't bear it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok this chapter is more angst but next chapter will be more happy I swear.

When Scanlan found out about the existence of his daughter, he panicked. He didn't know how to act. He stumbled his way through fatherhood, swearing impossible promises and oaths he could never keep. He came up short a thousand times, but when it really counted, he came through. Kaylie gave in and gave him a chance. They adventured together for years, with and without Vox Machina. Scanlan protected her. Time and time again, he risked his life for her. In turn, Kaylie opened up to him. She shared her secrets. The two of them gossiped about their music and their friends and what they suspected Doctor Dranzel did on his days off work. When Keyleth finally accepted Scanlan's proposal, Kaylie fully accepted her as a mother. They were an odd bunch, the Shorthalts, but they were family. And together, they lived happily ever after...for a time.

"Happiness never does last in the lives of adventurers," Keyleth mused, flipping through the pages of one of Scanlan's many songbooks, "But you never failed to make me smile." Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. 

She blinked them back and curled her fingers into the blankets on her bed. She remembered the day Scanlan had bought her those blankets. He got them at a cheap price from Dranzel under the guarantee that they would be "put to good use." Keyleth didn't exactly agree with Scanlan's idea of how he would use those blankets, but she accepted the gift anyway. Strangely enough, that was the day she first saw Scanlan as potentially more than just a friend.

"Hey." Kaylie stepped into Keyleth's room, her footsteps light and hesitant. "I'm not really the comforting type. But you're a mess, and I'm not about to leave you like this."

Keyleth sniffled. She pulled the blankets tighter around her and buried her face in them.

Kaylie sighed. "I know you're grieving. I am too. But he was never one for sadness, my dad. He wanted us to be happy." She stepped closer to Keyleth, climbing slowly onto the bed. "Don't blame yourself. He wouldn't have wanted that."

"It's not that easy." Keyleth's hands trembled as she struggled to keep them still. "He was always there, my constant in everything. But it's just me now. I'm all alone." She choked back a sob and gritted her teeth to keep from crying out.

Kaylie stayed quiet and listened.

"First it was Vax. The Raven Queen took him. Then Percy got sick. He said it was caused by breathing in too many toxic fumes in his workshop. And before I knew it, he was gone." The memories rushed back to her with an overpowering force. "Grog fell, defending Emon. And Pike's heart couldn't take it…" Her breaths came in and out in quick gasps, rasping attempts at steady breathing. "Years later, Vex...and then it was just him and me left. I thought I couldn't go on. I didn't want to." Keyleth gave up on composure, sobs wracking her body. "He changed my mind. He gave me reason to stay, to live. Scanlan saved my life. And all I ever did was cry!" Her words were barely coherent now as she doubled over, vision swimming as her eyes squeezed shut.

Without a word, the gnome girl wrapped a tiny arm around her waist. She gazed at the druid with compassion. The silence spoke volumes, and they held each other in that fragile moment, drawing strength from one another to keep themselves together. It seemed as if it lasted for eternity, as if time had given them this as a mercy. Neither woman dared to move.

Keyleth's tears disappeared gradually as she sank into sleep. She rested her head on Kaylie's shoulder, breathing deeply. She had always found comfort in her dreams. In her dreams, she could reunite with her friends, her family. The bone-crushing guilt could lift, and her spirit could soar once more.

_ There's something poetic about it,  _ Kaylie thought,  _ that the smallest man left such a big hole in our hearts. _


	9. Percy/Vex: Flying Lesson

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AU where Percy is afraid of heights and Vex decides she wants a flying partner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to write something happy for once. Here it is!

Vex loved the feeling of flying. She loved the wind in her hair, the world rushing past her as she soared higher than any bird ever could. She loved the freedom of her ability to travel anywhere and the reckless thrill of the journey. Vex'ahlia risked her life every day, and as a result the dangers of flight seems inconsequential. Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew she could fall anytime. Anytime a hand could slip and she could plummet thousands of feet to the ground, her bones snapping on impact and killing her instantly. But Vex held no fear of death. She had seen the other side and come back. She no longer feared dying and instead resolved to live life to the fullest. So Vex joyfully took to the skies without a care in the world.

Vex only loved one thing more than flying, and that thing was the smile on her lover's face when he held her in his arms. Percy, overprotective as always, chastised her on the broom's safety mechanisms and protocol. She teased back, laughed at him, and only flew higher the next day. Percy had fixed up the broom to be perfectly safe, and she trusted him with all her heart. He still worried about her, though, and Vex wondered if he would ever stop. She couldn't bear to cause him any stress or pain. Percy spent too much time inside his own head, reserved and restricted to the point where he panicked over nothing at all.

Naturally, Vex concocted a plan to cure him of this anxiety once and for all.

"Where are you taking me?" Percy stumbled along the forest path behind her. The blindfold obscured his vision and he had no choice but to rely on his wife's guidance.

"You'll see, darling." Vex responded, a mischievous glint in her eye. Taking his hand, she pulled him along after her, off of the path for a distance until she reached the glade. "Take it off."

Percy removed the blindfold gladly and marveled at the sight. Butterflies danced over a sea of flowers. Sunbeams illuminated the glade in golden light. A warm breeze drifted through the trees at the edge of the clearing, rustling the leaves turned red by the autumn season. "It's beautiful."

Vex planted a lazy kiss on his cheek. "This isn't all I have planned." Breaking away from him, she rushed to a hollow log and grabbed the broom from its hiding place inside. She wordlessly raised an eyebrow at her husband. "Would you care to join me on this flight, my love?"

Percy sighed. "Vex...I love you, but that's simply too dangerous. I've told you a thousand times before that with the adjustments I've made to enhance the speed and acceleration of the broom, it simply cannot hold the weight of the two of us."

"Darling, you're always so stiff these days. A little adventure would be good for you now and then." She slipped over to him, broom in hand. "And you know that I don't just mean in the bedroom."

Percy blinked in surprise. "Vex!" 

"Come along, or the teasing will get much worse."

He hesitated, fingers fiddling with a button on his coat. "I don't think this is a good idea."

Vex smirked. "You didn't think the rope was a good idea, but you loved it, didn't you? I remember how loudly you-"

Heat rushed to his cheeks. "Enough! You've made your point!" He ran his hands through his hair anxiously. "If you insist on tormenting me-"

"Tormenting you? Never." She grinned and mounted the broom. "Now, Percy, are you coming?"

Begrudgingly, Percy positioned himself on the broom behind her. "I'm going to regret this."

"And I'll enjoy every second of it."

With a spoken word in Draconic, the broom rose in the air. Wind spiraled around them. The couple hovered in the air, rising up slowly. 

"Darling?!" Percy held the broom handle in a vice grip, white-knuckled and sweating. "There's something I've got to tell you-"

"About last wishes? Don't worry, I've heard them all." Vex leaned forward slightly and the broom stopped rising high above the treeline.

"No, nothing like that. It's just-"

"No more excuses!" Vex shouted. "Are you ready?" The broom lurched forward, tilting dangerously.

"Vex, oh gods!"

"DIVE!" Vex let out an ear-splitting squeal. The broom lurched forward with a start. The world rushed past them in a whirlwind of color. Percy's throat burned as he screamed, one hand wrapped around the broomstick and the other holding Vex's waist like a life raft. The broom hurtled downward, gaining speed. Branches scraped their shoulders as they passed the highest trees. Leaves stuck to their body and settled in their hair. A crow fluttered out of the way, screeching a warning. They neared the ground. Percy braced for impact-

-and then the broom's motion stopped. It hovered gently above the grass. A small rabbit twitched its nose at the broom's riders, munching on the greenery.

"We...made it." Percy slowly began to relax, letting out a breathless laugh.

"I told you we'd be fine! Wasn't that fun?" Vex frowned as she regarded how pale her husband looked. "Percy?"

"I should have told you…"' His entire body shook, his hands trembling as he reached for her.

Vex froze. "Percy?"

"Darling, I'm afraid of heights!"

"Oh! Goodness, dear, I'm sorry!" Vex threw her arms around him as they both laughed, nervous and relieved. "Is there anything I could do to make it up to you?"

"Nothing much." Percy held her, pressing his head to her chest so he could hear the comforting best of her heart. "Darling?"

"Yes?"

"I may not enjoy flying, but you certainly make my heart soar."


	10. Pike/Percy: Falling in Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is the story of how the gunslinger stole the heart of a cleric.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is an AU with a little bit of canon divergence, but it does contain spoilers! Read at your own risk.

At first, Pike ignored it.

The feeling nagged in the corner of her mind, taunting her, lightly tugging at her heartstrings when she least expected it. Pike pushed it down. She didn't know what it meant or why it persisted, so she ignored it and hoped it would go away. It didn't.

She had heard of love in fairy tales and poems and the ballads Scanlan sang with her name. The stories were always the same: love at first sight, courting, kissing, marriage and perhaps a family later on. Pike knew the process, but none of the stories could accurately describe the experience. The classic boy-meets-girl stories only reached so far. So when Pike fell in love with Percy, she fell head over heels, every word, every action a shot in the dark.

It wasn't love at first sight. When Pike had first met Percy, she thought him a miracle, an example of how the kindness of Sarenrae could reach even the dark corners of a young boy's mind in a prison cell. From there, their friendship developed further. Percy worked and tinkered and fought. He spent much of his time in his own head with his demons. Pike helped him fight them, both figuratively, then literally when they encountered Orthax in Whitestone. She remembered fearing for not only Percy's life but his soul as the dark talons tore into him. He had come so far, learned so much. Pike couldn't lose him. She couldn't.

And she didn't. The Briarwoods fell as the chill of Winter's Crest set it, and Pike allowed herself to dream. She longed for a peaceful life for herself and her found family, for Percy to have just a moment to breathe and rest without worries and what-ifs to plague his thoughts.

Then Thordak took Emon. Pike heard the stories of Uriel falling limp in the jaws of the Cinder King, and even with Sarenrae's guidance she could barely see the light. Vox Machina fought back, chasing after the vestiges. Pike threw herself at every foe, her strongly held belief in forgiveness breaking with every blow Percy took. She wanted him to live. She needed him to live. She became desperate for revenge, to see his enemies (now her enemies) decimated once and for all, for them to suffer and bleed as he had.

It was then that Pike knew something had drastically changed. She had despised the idea of revenge, as the concept violated the teachings of her goddess. But when anything involved Percy, she lost control.  _ Anyone or anything that hurt him deserved a fate worse than death. _ She held onto her kind mask of a face and tried to force down the unfamiliar passion inside, for better or worse. Her bottled emotions grew and grew and overwhelmed her. She could take it, she could handle it, she could--

She couldn't. She couldn't go another day without telling him. But she couldn't tell him either.

The conflict would have swallowed her whole, but somehow, Percy knew. He saved her, as she had long ago saved him from Ripley's cell. His slow descent into madness granted him experience, and he saw the emptiness in the eyes of his cleric friend. And, in his experience, he knew how to save her from herself.

He wasted no time. He did not play games or toy with her heart. He did not pity her or think her weak or fragile. Instead, he knelt before her and met her gaze with his own. His coat, his most prized possession marked with his family crest, lay torn and bloodstained upon his shoulders. The corpse of a dragon lay behind him, filled with arrows and gashes and bullet holes. Vox Machina had won. Percy, heroic Percy, could have taken any reward he wanted from the dragon's hoard, but he left the piles of gold and gems untouched. He took only Pike's hand and whispered the only three words, the three simple words she had secretly yearned for.

_ I love you. _


	11. Vex/Keyleth: Lover's Limerick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a limerick I wrote about their relationship :D

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was inspired by one of Laura's attempts at a limerick and so I made this!

There once was a half-elven pair

A ranger and her lady fair

Despite harsh words spoken

And promises broken

They loved one another with care


	12. Grog/Percy: Persuasion Check

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grog steals Percy's glasses. To get them back, Percy gives him a certain something in exchange.

Percy needed his glasses back. 

Reading was impossible without them. He couldn't tinker certain projects without their visual aid, and he tired quickly of bumping into things when he walked. He ignored the problems for a while, but soon they became too much to bear. He couldn't run from this...though he certainly wanted to.

Percival Fredrickstein von Musel Klossowski de Rolo the III stumbled down the staircase and into the dining hall of Castle Whitestone. The aroma of fried chicken greeted him, and he nearly gagged at the thought of consuming any more poultry. Scanlan's mansion had its perks. A variety of foods, however, did not exist among them. Percy scanned the area, vision blurry. He noticed Vex and Keyleth discussing something in hushed tones while Vax and Scanlan laughed nearby. Pike stuffed bacon into her mouth with the poise and grace only she could have. His family seemed happy to finally have a break from the fighting, even for a few short moments.

Grog awaited him at the far end of the dining hall, muscular arms crossed defiantly. When Percy arrived, they walked a short distance away side by side to Grog's room.

"Took you long enough." The goliath grunted. The Bag of Holding rested idly on his belt, and Percy averted his gaze. He knew better than to stare at it when what he needed resided inside. He couldn't allow himself to seem desperate.

"My apologies. I had other business to take care of." Percy lifted his head to meet the somewhat intimidating gaze of his friend. "Now would you kindly give them back? I don't have time for this, and honestly I don't understand why you stole them in the first place."

"I stole the 'cause it's fun, duh" Grog pulled the glasses out of the bag and fiddled with them, tossing them back and forth between his meaty hands. "These things? Too good to give up. They're so much fun, you know? Pure gold." He tossed the glasses into the air and anxiety spiked through Percy's chest as the glasses nearly hit the ceiling before falling back down into the goliath's palm.

"You were the one who wanted to negotiate a deal," Percy began cautiously. "And I am listening. So please set aside the jokes for just a moment and tell me what you want in exchange. It would be quite nice to have those glasses back, you know."

"Fine. There's somethin' I want from you." Grog grinned. "And if you give it to me, I'll give ya the glasses back. They don't fit me anyway."

"I'm listening."

"I want you to give a kiss." Grog said bluntly and without shame. For once his face showed no sign of a joke.

Percy blinked in surprise. He must have misheard. "Excuse me?"

"I want you to kiss me. We've been busy fighting things for a while, and I haven't had time to visit a house of lady favors. So I thought I would excrement with you until I get the time to visit."

"I think you mean experiment, Grog. Experiment, not excrement." Percy couldn't help but let out a chuckle.

"Uh. Okay." Grog shrugged. "So, you gonna do it or not?"

"Well," Percy considered, "I do want those glasses…" Before he could change his mind, he grabbed Grog by the beard and pulled him down so they were at level with each other and shoved his lips onto his.

Grog, unsurprisingly, tasted of ale. Percy ran his tongue along his lips and slipped it into his mouth. Grog learned forward into the kiss roughly. His beard scratched at Percy's clean-shaven face. His strong hands roamed the human's body, traveling down his chest and gripping his hips. Percy's back hit the stone wall behind him as Grog pushed him forward. He furthered the kiss with his tongue, reaching a hand a round to swipe the glasses from his friend. 

They broke the kiss, gasping for breath, and Percy smirked as he placed his glasses on his face. "Thank you for giving them back, Grog. This was definitely a fair trade."

"Remind me to steal them again. I could use another excuse to do this." Grog barked out a laugh and ruffled Percy's hair.

"Only if you get lucky, my friend." Percy pecked Grog once on the lips before exiting the room with a blush on his cheeks and the taste of booze on his lips.


	13. Watching You Sleep (Sylas/Ripley)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anna Ripley and Sylas Briarwood have a unique relationship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't updated this in a while because I've had no inspiration to write anything, but here! A new chapter! I'm proud of myself :3

Anna Ripley's eyes opened slowly as she awakened. She covered her mouth as a soft yawn escaped her lips. Slowly, she sat up, lifting the blankets off her bare body and shifting them over the man sleeping just inches from her. His face was a vision of peace, a stark contrast to the dark expression of his waking hours. She chuckled, thoughts crossing her mind of all the things she could do to him right now.

But no, she couldn't. Not yet. Because of the woman coming to this room in a few hours, she couldn't be here.

A few light steps across the room and she had gathered her scattered clothes. With a sigh, she pulled them onto her body, grimacing at the stains on her skirts. They would need a lot of cleaning later. Fully dressed, she headed towards the door, preparing to leave. Then, with one hand on the doorknob, she hesitated. She turned.

Sylas Briarwood lay sleeping and helpless in his bed. Their bed. The bed they shared when his wife was off working. Anna had never cared or dared to love anyone, but even she had her weaknesses, and her current weakness was Sylas. She liked the things she could do to him, the perfect willing subject for certain experiments. He went pliant under her hands, the powerful lord dropping to his hands and knees at her command. They did not love each other. Sylas's black heart belonged to Delilah alone. But Sylas loved the excitement, the ambition, the thrill of chasing the feelings and discoveries of what the two of them could do. And for Doctor Anna Ripley, that was enough.

With slow, deliberate movements, she walked to his side. She pressed a hand to his cheek and stroked another through his hair. Her eyes shifted to the glowing ropes that bound his wrists and ankles even in sleep. They would disappear in a few hours, before Delilah returned. But until then, Anna could enjoy seeing them press against his skin, coiling tightly to limit him to doing exactly what she wanted and nothing more.

And right now, she wanted to see him sleeping soundly with those ropes on.

Sylas stirred and Anna snapped her fingers, the ropes disappearing. She hurried out of the room, quietly closing the door behind her. Sylas Briarwood may never understand her. Few people ever did. But nevertheless, what they had would be satisfying for a while, and she smirked as she vanished into the alleys of Whitestone.


	14. I Wish (Scanlan/Vax)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scanlan wishes for nothing more than to save the life of his friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *SPOILERS*
> 
> This is an AU where Scanlan manages to save Vax and they get together :3 enjoy!

Scanlan watches his friend walk away for what seems like the last time, snowdrops blooming in his wake. Scanlan couldn't do this. He couldn't lose anyone else. He had already lost so much.  _ No more. _

"I wish that Vax'ildan Vessar would continue to live alongside me, free of any bargains he made with the Raven Queen."

The Matron of Ravens herself watches as he utters the words. No expression could be seen from beyond her porcelain mask. Her cold presence filled the space, seeping into Scanlan's bones, and he feels her hatred. It's the strongest force he's ever felt, a slow freezing sensation spreading throughout his body and into his very soul. His muscles lock up and he can't move. He stands, rigid and cold and just this once, very _ , very  _ afraid.

"Scanlan Shorthalt." Her voice is carefully neutral. "You dare to threaten the balance of life and death?"

The hold on Scanlan's body relaxes, allowing him movement once more. "I do." He stands proudly against her frightful presence. "For him. For Vax. He gave up everything for you. And I would do the same for him."

"I understand, small one." The goddess levels her voice as she comes closer, step by step, until she towers above him in all her splendor. "And I will remember." Scanlan blinks, and she's gone in a flash of feathers.

Vax'ildan turns to face his found family, shock and worry and gratitude dueling on his face. "Scanlan." His voice cracks as he speaks. Tears well up in his eyes. A warm breeze passes by, blowing his raven hair back in waves and taking the place of the Raven Queen's deathly chill. "You were saving a wish for me?"

"Of course." Tears threaten to spill from his eyes. He takes a slow, shaky breath. "I love you, man."

"Scanlan Shorthalt, you clever gnome." Vax closes the distance between them in a heartbeat. "I love you so much."

"You leave when Burt Reynolds tells you to leave." Scanlan's voice cracks and he lets the tears fall.

The others look on, laughing and crying and holding each other close. But Scanlan doesn't even notice. He looks up into the beautiful eyes of his friend to find him gazing back with a heartwarming smile. And in that moment, he can't hold back.

Scanlan grabs Vax's hands. They feel soft in his, no longer cold and stiff. He pulls the taller man down to his level and moves in close until their faces are inches apart.

It's a shock to him that he himself, Scanlan Shorthalt, the ever-confident, cunning, ladies' man did not make the first move.

Vax'ildan presses his lips to his and eases his tongue into his mouth. Scanlan moans softly and deepens the kiss. He runs his hands through the silky hair of his friend, not caring about the knots and clumps of dirt that had accumulated in it during their battle. He lifts his tiny palm to gently wipe blood from Vax's cheek. Vax holds him to his chest in his arms and wraps him in a tight hug. Scanlans's torso hurts, but he doesn't care, giving himself up entirely to the sensation.

Vax pulls away for air. It's the first breath he has taken since his second death during the first confrontation with Vecna. "I have a wish for you, too."

Scanlan blinks in surprise. "Oh?"

"I wish…" He whispers, hot breath tickling Scanlan's ear, "for you to stay with me always." His tone is earnest and filled with emotion. "I love you, Scanlan Shorthalt."

Scanlan laughs, smiling.  _ I did it. He's safe. He didn't have to die.  _ "I love you, Vax'ildan."


End file.
